Multi-directional display and navigation of hierarchical data and optimization of display area consumption
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsBrian Burdick, Tarek Najm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Displaying data in a user interface for navigation by a user and optimization of display area consumption. The data is associated with a plurality of nodes organized according to a hierarchy having a plurality of levels. Each of the nodes has a corresponding identifier. The invention includes arranging the identifiers for each of the nodes to display one or more of the levels in a visual representation of the hierarchy in one of a plurality of directions relative to a higher one of the levels. The invention also includes dynamically expanding and pivoting levels in a display direction in the visual representation of the hierarchy in response to user input.
Claims34
A method of presenting data in a user interface for navigation by a user, said data being associated with a plurality of nodes and being stored in a memory area, said nodes being organized according to a hierarchy having a plurality of levels, each of said nodes being identified by an identifier associated therewith, said method comprising:
- arranging the identifiers to display the nodes of one or more of the levels in a visual representation of the hierarchy, said identifiers being arranged to display one or more of the nodes of one level in a first direction relative to a higher level in the hierarchy and to display one or more of the nodes of at least one other level in a second direction relative to a higher level in the hierarchy, said first direction being different than said second direction;
- and
- displaying to the user the visual representation of the hierarchy having the arranged identifiers for the nodes.
A method of displaying data in a computer system having a user interface including a display and being responsive to a user interface selection device, said data being associated with a plurality of nodes and being stored in a memory area, said nodes being organized according to a hierarchy having a plurality of levels, said nodes further being identified by identifiers corresponding thereto, said method comprising:
- arranging the identifiers for the nodes to display one or more of the levels in a visual representation of the hierarchy on the display, each of the displayed levels being displayed on the display by the identifiers arranged in one of a plurality of directions relative to a higher one of the levels;
- receiving an activation request from a user to expand the visual representation of the hierarchy, said activation request corresponding to at least one of the identifiers selected by the user via the user interface selection device, said at least one of the identifiers being associated with a node of a specific one of the levels, said request further comprising an operative direction associated with said at least one of the identifiers;
- and
- arranging the identifiers associated with the nodes in one of the levels lower than said specific one of the levels for display in the operative direction in the visual representation of the hierarchy on the display.
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for presenting data in a user interface for navigation by a user, said data being associated with a plurality of nodes and being stored in a memory area, said nodes being organized according to a hierarchy having a plurality of levels, each of said nodes being identified by an identifier associated therewith, said components comprising a user interface component for arranging the identifiers to display the nodes of one or more of the levels in a visual representation of the hierarchy, each of the identifiers associated with the nodes of the displayed levels being displayed in one of a plurality of directions relative to a higher one of the levels.
A data reporting system for presenting data in a user interface for navigation by a user, said data being associated with a plurality of nodes and being stored in a memory area, said nodes being organized according to a hierarchy having a plurality of levels, each of said nodes being identified by an identifier associated therewith, said system comprising:
- means for arranging the identifiers to display the nodes of one or more of the levels in a visual representation of the hierarchy, said identifiers being arranged to display one or more of the nodes of one level in a first direction relative to a higher level in the hierarchy and to display one or more of the nodes of at least one other level in a second direction relative to a higher level in the hierarchy, said first direction being different than said second direction;
- and
- means for displaying to the user the visual representation of the hierarchy having the arranged identifiers for each of the nodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.